Kia drank until she passed out on the couch, her steady breathing the only sound in the dimly lit apartment. Emily, however, couldn't sleep. A strange warmth coiled in her stomach, making her restless. It wasn't something she recognized—not fear, not anxiety. It was something else entirely.
She slipped into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her as she tried to steady her breathing. Instinctively, she reached inward, seeking the familiar comfort of her mind space, but something was wrong.
She couldn't enter.
The sensation intensified, pulsing beneath her skin like a fire she couldn't put out. Confusion crept in—her alters always let her in. They always allowed her to retreat when she needed to.
But not this time.
She could feel them, lingering just out of reach, but they weren't guiding her.
Then it hit her.
This wasn't them. This wasn't the system.
This was her. Her body, her own unfiltered emotions, responding to something deeper. And she knew exactly who had awakened it.
Ryan.
The way he looked at her, the way he touched her—so careful, yet so intense. She had never felt wanted like that before, never had someone admire her so completely. And now, her body remembered.
Emily pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady the erratic beat of her heart. She wanted him. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, both exhilarating and terrifying.
In the silence of her room, Emily wrestled with the realization, while deep in her mind space, her alters watched, knowing this was a path only she could walk.
Emily woke to the sound of Kia's infectious laughter, groggy and still caught in the haze of sleep. Her body still felt warm, that strange sensation from the night before lingering faintly. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly sat up, her mind struggling to catch up with reality.
"What's so funny?" she muttered, her voice hoarse from sleep.
Kia grinned at her, ending the call she had been on. "You are. Look at you, half-asleep and already thinking about him."
Emily blinked. "What?"
Kia rolled her eyes. "Ryan. He's taking us out for breakfast. His driver's picking us up in two hours, so get your butt out of bed."
Emily barely registered the rest of her words. "Breakfast?" she repeated, perking up slightly.
Kia smirked knowingly. "That's all you heard?"
Emily groaned, running a hand through her hair. "Kia, I swear—"
Kia raised her hands in surrender, still grinning. "Alright, alright. But you better get ready. I have a feeling this is going to be interesting."
Emily sighed, dragging herself out of bed, but deep down, a small flutter of anticipation settled in her chest. As much as she tried to push it away, she couldn't ignore it.
Ryan had a way of pulling her in, whether she was ready or not.